Watching
by purplecleric
Summary: He likes to watch. Observations from the Major Case Squad room. Post ep for "Stress Position" *spoilers* Goren/Logan if you squint.
1. Chapter 1

He likes to watch... so that is what he's doing.

After all, there is no urgency in the paperwork, not now the roller coaster of this prison case is over.

There's no headlong pursuit of intriguing details left, no thrill of making connections, no triumph in discovery. There's no fear of the guard's challenge, no excitement in matching his wits against theirs, no nuances of speech or body language to be analysed, no satisfaction in reading them correctly.

The adrenaline has dissipated, there is paperwork and he is bored.

His hand cups his large head and he feels the skin on his face slip and stubble scrape as he sinks a little lower. He looks out from under droopy lids and watches.

He watches her.

Sitting back straight, neat and proper, processing the paperwork with efficiency. She's on a mission, maybe a promise to keep to her nephew or a date. Probably just being realistic, after all it has to be done. She tucks her hair behind her ear and glances up at him, a small smile flickers across her lips as she recognises his procrastination. There's a sense of rightness, things being in order that he had missed when she was on leave.

He shivers, and exaggerates the motion to shake that disconcerting feeling from his shoulders. Shoulders, that had been tense from where that feeling had lain for weeks .Wrong footing him while she was away, and now returning occasionally to defend him against complacency.

He throws himself back in his chair, hears the creaks of protest and wonders when it will finally give way and dump him on his ass. Not today. Today he swivels, drapes his long legs across the corner of his desk, alters his view and watches.

He watches them.

A heated discussion is under way in the office, a discussion that the Captain seems to be winning. The A.D.A. is not yielding, he rises from the chair, straightens his cuffs and lowers the volume of his rich baritone. In answer to the challenge, the Captain is now on his feet, his tone harsher, blunt. A face- off: pragmatist versus peacock.

From his supine position, Bobby chuckles at that thought, years drop from his face and his playfulness peaks out. He takes a moment to contemplate Carver's latest sartorial statement, the three slanted pockets on the right and the red embroidered buttonhole on the left and nods in appreciation of the fine tailoring.

Power dressing does not win arguments, however, and Carver snatches up his briefcase and strides out of the office, leaving the Captain red faced and still spoiling for a fight. Bobby hastily straightens himself, grabs a pen and opens the manila file in front of him, reluctant to draw unwanted attention and spoil the mellow mood his observations have encouraged.

A snicker... he glances up to see hazel eyes twinkling and she mouths the word "coward" at him. Ducking his head sheepishly, he tries to focus on the report but a there is some tension now, an almost itch between his shoulder blades and he resists the urge to swing round.

He is being watched.


	2. Chapter 2

He watches.

A chance to get away from Staten Island, a change of perspective is not to be wasted. Paperwork looks the same but the surroundings here hold his interest.

Take that big guy, Goren, for example, who is slouched over his desk radiating boredom. Logan thinks back to their initial encounter, how Goren had challenged him. Not in a 'shoulders squared, chest out, nose to nose' way. But subtly, eyes cast downward, speech hesitant, foot shuffling. Challenged him, nonetheless, calling him out on the depth of his relationship. Logan realises, in retrospect, how skilfully he was played, and rather than angering him, he finds himself amused.

He grins at the memory and also at the sight of Goren as he executes some strange jiggle and throws himself back in his protesting chair. Jeez, that guy is heavy on furniture. He muses briefly whether Major Case has additional funding to cover this then follows Goren's gaze to the Captain's office.

He watches.

Some confrontation is going down. Logan likes the Captain, likes his straightforward manner, the way he is more cop than politician, the way he is not backing down to the A.D.A. Jury's still out on him. Logan is suspicious of lawyers, men who make their way in the world by words rather than deeds.

This thought brings him sharply back to Goren, who he had dismissed as a pantywaist when he had checked out the psych books on his desk. He was sure Goren had made an equally snap judgement of him. He'd enjoyed throwing out that '1984' comment and watching Goren reassess him, start talking to him rather than at him.

The office door swings open and the A.D.A. struts across the squad room. Yes, struts. That's a good word for such a posturing man in his fancy suit. Logan had little time for such affectations, his blazer and plaid ties had served him well enough. Still, he casts his eye back to Goren as the latter hauls himself upright, a well cut suit can look good. Probably a necessity considering the way Goren bends and twists, wouldn't want any embarrassing rips. Perhaps there's extra funding for that, too.

He catches Eames' silent accusation and that gets him thinking about the prison and men of words. He has no doubt that Goren could handle himself, he's a big guy, a cop and ex military and Logan knows his own capacity for violence. But they were two unarmed men protecting a civilian. A brutal, bloody assault seemed inevitable until the steady stream of words had started. Her words came first, relating the litany of abuse. Goren's words had followed; barbed, cajoling, inviting, accusatory, understanding, conspiring. Each a weapon, honed and aimed true.

Logan realises he is staring at this physically imposing man who by choice uses his intellect and words. He admits to himself a small measure of respect for this unconventional detective (and a larger measure of thanks for their injury free escape). Perhaps he should reconsider his opinion of men of words? He finds that his largesse still doesn't extend to lawyers.

Goren, though. He's a man to watch.


End file.
